These days, you can buy a laptop with sophisticated multitrack recording software pre-installed, complete with built-in synthesizers, drum machines, and mixing capabilities. Spend a little time working with one of these DAW programs, and you'll quickly realize that your basic mouse-and-keyboard setup isn't letting you get the most out of your software. Time to upgrade to the M-Audio Axiom 49 II. This USB MIDI keyboard automatically maps its faders, knobs, and buttons to Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Reason, GarageBand, and Live. It's a tactile control surface for your DAW, not to mention a great-feeling compact keyboard that maps to your virtual instruments. And because it's an Avid M-Audio product, Pro Tools setup is plug-and-play.
Drop the mouse! The Axiom 49 II's transport section puts the most common functions -- play, record, stop, fast-forward, rewind, and loop -- at your fingertips for instant access. With these controls so close to the keyboard, it's easy to punch in on your own keyboard part, and you won't have to readjust your brain or your sitting position to capture your best performance. Plus, using soft, rubberized buttons instead of a mouse helps cut down on the risk of repetitive stress injuries, so you can mix longer. Instead of trying to mouse faders and knobs onscreen, use the Axiom's 9 sliders and 8 rotary encoders, with Track Select buttons to bank through all your tracks. In Mixer Mode, LEDs for each fader light up to show you the status of each track -- mute, solo, or record-enable. Or press the Instrument Mode button to instantly map the Axiom's sliders, knobs, and buttons to virtual instruments within your DAW host. The Axiom can control just about any parameter you see on-screen, from volume and panning, to virtual instrument settings like resonance and filter cutoff.
